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THE ARABIC GOSPEL OF THE INFANCY

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XIV. A demoniac woman healed. XV. A dumb bride healed.

XVI. A woman oppressed by a demon-serpent relieved.

XVII. A leprous girl healed by water in which Jesus was washed.

XVIII. A leprous child healed in like manner. XIX. A husband and wife released from a spell. XX, XXI. The brother of two women, who had been changed into a mule, restored by having Jesus placed on his back (Peeters points out the identity of this miracle with one told of St. Macarius in the Historia Lausiaca of Palladius). XXII. The leprous girl of XVII married to the brother.

XXIII. The robbers Titus and Dumachus (the good and bad thieves of the Crucifixion) capture them. Titus redeems them: Jesus prophesies his end.^[1]

XXIV. At Matarieh in Egypt a spring bursts forth and balm originates from the sweat of Jesus. XXV. They lived three years at Misr (Cairo) and saw Pharaoh. Many miracles were done which are not written in the Gospel of the Infancy or in the complete Gospel (probably the Canonical Gospels are meant). These chapters are an Egyptian interpolation not earlier than the twelfth century.

XXVI. Return to Nazareth. XXVII. At Bethlehem a sick child healed. XXVIII. A child diseased in the eyes healed. XXIX. Two women, mothers of children. One child dies, the other, Cleopas, is healed. The mother of the dead throws Cleopas, first into an oven, then into a well: he is uninjured: she herself falls into the well and is killed. XXX. One of two twin boys healed—the Bartholomew of the Gospels. XXXI. A leprous

↑ The meeting with the good thief is told in other places: in the B Recension (Greek) of the Acts of Pilate; and by Aelred of Rievaulx (de Vita Eremitica ad Sororem, xlviii: printed with St. Augustine's works, ed. Bened.I, App. 51: Migne P. L. xxxii). Aelred's form is thus:

Do not in thy meditation pass over the gifts of the Magi: nor leave him without company when he flees into Egypt. Think that to be true which is told, that he was captured by robbers in the way and saved by the kindness of a youth. This was, they say, the son of the chief of the robbers, and when he got possession of his prey, and found the child on his mother's breast, such splendour of majesty appeared in his lovely face that the youth, not doubting that he was more than man, inflamed with love embraced him and said: O most blessed of children, if ever there come a time for having mercy on me, then remember me and forget not this hour.

This they say was the robber who was crucified on Christ's right hand, and when the other blasphemed, said: Dost thou not fear God (and the rest), and turning to the Lord and beholding him in that majesty which he had seen in him as a child, and not forgetful of his pact, said: Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. So as an incentive of love I think it not useless to hold this belief, though I would not rashly affirm its truth.

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[1] The meeting with the good thief is told in other places: in the B Recension (Greek) of the Acts of Pilate; and by Aelred of Rievaulx (de Vita Eremitica ad Sororem, xlviii: printed with St. Augustine's works, ed. Bened.I, App. 51: Migne P. L. xxxii). Aelred's form is thus:

Do not in thy meditation pass over the gifts of the Magi: nor leave him without company when he flees into Egypt. Think that to be true which is told, that he was captured by robbers in the way and saved by the kindness of a youth. This was, they say, the son of the chief of the robbers, and when he got possession of his prey, and found the child on his mother's breast, such splendour of majesty appeared in his lovely face that the youth, not doubting that he was more than man, inflamed with love embraced him and said: O most blessed of children, if ever there come a time for having mercy on me, then remember me and forget not this hour.

This they say was the robber who was crucified on Christ's right hand, and when the other blasphemed, said: Dost thou not fear God (and the rest), and turning to the Lord and beholding him in that majesty which he had seen in him as a child, and not forgetful of his pact, said: Remember me when thou comest into thy kingdom. So as an incentive of love I think it not useless to hold this belief, though I would not rashly affirm its truth.

[1]